Squish-alicious!

Some projects are just pure pleasure, right from the get go. This little handspun baby sweater is one of them. I'm knitting it in my own 3 ply merino/kid-mohair/silk handspun. The fibre was hand dyed by Jude of Ewesful Creations. It spun up very soft and, combined with the stitch pattern, makes a lovely squishy, bouncy fabric.

The pattern is "Purl Textured Cardigan" by Jacqueline Gibb. It's only available in the newborn to 3 month size but I like it so much I may try to work out an adult version for myself some time in the future.

Is there a new baby expected in the family? Nope. Just felt like knitting something that would tick a few boxes. My criteria were:

1. Requires no purchases other than the pattern. 

2. Uses some of my growing stash of handspun. 

3. Fits a category for submission at the Chilliwack Fair in August. 

4. Can be sold at the Chilliwack Christmas Craft Fair in November.

The pattern didn't call for it, but I've gone to the extra work of starting the 1x1 ribbing with a tubular cast on. Fussy and time consuming, but so worth it. I love the way the ribbing runs right up to the edge. So polished looking!

I Did Promise

Ooops! Almost forgot. I did promise that I would show the third place item, a crocheted cardigan entered in the "any other crocheted article not listed" class, 

and a couple of entries that didn't place at all.

The funny thing is, these two entries that were sent home ribbonless are actually items I really, really like!

The lined, blue vest was entered in the "any other sewn item" class. It's a sewing pattern I developed using my custom fit sloper. It fits me perfectly, it is super comfy and, in my opinion, it is very well sewn.

The sequined scarf, though not an example of good technical weaving, with it's (purposely) drifting weft and simple plain weave pattern, is still very much a favourite of mine. It doesn't come across all that well in the photo, but in person I think it is quite stunning -- admittedly due mostly to the choice of weft yarn. The sequined weft yarn slowly transitions from light to dark and back again. It's necessary to wind all the yarn onto bobbins and keep them in the correct order to keep the colour transitions working properly. It was entered in the "scarf or cowl, woven with commercial yarn" class.

Seconds Count

So, as promised, here is a lineup of the fair items I received second place ribbons for.

The Saori hat I blogged about some time ago came second in the Handweaving, "open" class. It's a catch-all category for things like soft sculptures, toys, and tapestry of any technique. I put the hat in that category because there wasn't one specifically for hats and because this hat includes both knitting and weaving. I'm not sure what the competition in that category consisted of because the items are not displayed together by category once they are judged.

The hat is for sale, $60 Canadian, no tax. That's a bargain for American shoppers. With the way our dollar has been falling it works out to about $46 US. The hat is hand woven almost entirely from handspun wool and wool blends. There are a few accents of commercial yarns that contain some man made fibres.

The little handspun sweater I knit for my granddaughter's doll at Christmas also received a second. It was in the "Knit or Crochet, Small Article" class.

A last minute construction, this second place ribbon was won in the "Small Expressions" class of the hand weaving category.

The bookmark was created from a narrow end piece I cut from my handwoven rainbow yardage. It was about an inch of weaving with hemstitching and twisted fringe. After going to all that work to twist the fringe before washing (not knowing what I would use the yardage for), I was loathe to just throw it out when I cut it off the yardage to make a purse.

I manipulated that narrow piece of weaving down a small rectangle of felted handweaving and after stitching it in place with meandering machine quilting I trimmed it back to a rectangle shape. It still needed something so I added a few star shaped sequins held in place by beads.

The little hat I crocheted for my youngest granddaughter's Christmas doll received a second as well.

And here are all the second place items posing together with their ribbons.

I've Got the Blues

I brought home a significant pile of ribbons from the 2015 Chilliwack Fall Fair! Of the 13 classes I entered I came home with 14 ribbons. How is that even possible you ask? Well three of my first place entries also took home those gorgeous "big ribbons" that my 6 year old granddaughter loves so much!

I'm very pleased that my handwoven Saori tunic not only received a first in it's class (handwoven garment), it also received a beautiful "Best in Show" ribbon.

 Yay for free style weaving becoming more of an accepted art form. 

In that class, along with the big rosette ribbon, I received a nice gift basket.

It contained a couple of cones of weaving cotton, a book light, a plaque, a package of post it notes, a great little pair of scissors, a small rotary mat, and some yarn needles of a style I have never even seen before. Can't wait to try those out!

I entered a two part purse (a black inner purse and a removable Saori woven outer section) in the "Craft Project: Handbag or Tote" class of the sewing section. It received a first place ribbon and a "Best in Section" rosette.

Apparently there were a few laughs over the tiny little sweater I entered in the "Knitted Sweater, any size" class. I don't think they pictured doll size entries when they wrote "any size", but it still won a first and the "Best in Section", perhaps because it IS actually a full sized adult woman knitting pattern that I miniaturized by knitting it with laceweight yarn and 1.5mm and 2.0mm needles.

I also entered a lace cowl in the hand knitting section. It received a first place ribbon.

Another score for the advancement of Saori weaving: my Saori woven rainbow clutch won a first in the "Bag, any style, shape or size" class of the hand weaving section, ---

-- as did a Saori woven scarf which I entered in the "Scarf woven with handspun" class.

So here they are together the six items that took first place.

I'll be back soon to show you the 2nd and 3rd place items, and I'll even show you my submissions that did NOT win.